Oxford Aldermen Vote to Allow Restaurants, Salons, Gyms to Reopen

By Alyssa Schnugg
News editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

Restaurants, hair salons, tattoo parlors and other close contact businesses can open their doors to customers starting at 8 a.m. Monday.

However, owners and employees have a lot of requirements to meet to keep customers and employees as safe as possible and limit the spread of COVID-19.

On Saturday, the Oxford Board of Aldermen met for more than two hours to compare Gov. Tate Reeves’ latest Executive Order 1480 to the city’s Serving Oxford Safely: A Plan for Recovery, phase one. They made some areas a bit more stringent than the governor’s order – which is allowed by law, and voted to approve a sixth resolution adopting Reeves’ lastest order.

The Board voted 4 to 3 to reopen restaurants. Aldermen Janice Antonow, Kesha Atkinson and Preston Taylor were the dissenting votes. They said they had concerns about customers and employees getting COVID-19 since restaurants are small and indoors.

Click here to view the entire Board of Aldermen meeting online.

“I’ve talked to a lot of wait staff and they’re scared,” Atkinson said.

Restaurants can open after the entire restaurant is deep cleaned and disinfected. All employees must be screened at the start of their shifts as to whether they’ve been in contact with anyone who tested positive with COVID-19 or if they’ve had a fever in the past 48 hours.

Masks must be provided to all employees who come in direct contact with customers. Employees are required to wear a mask throughout their shift.

Restaurants can only allow 50 percent of their seating capacity both indoor and outdoor areas and floor plans must be arranged so that there is 6-feet between each table. No more than six people can sit at a table.

Restaurants must post signage at each entrance stating no customer with a fever or COVID-19 symptoms are allowed in.

Cafeteria-style buffets and food stations that are manned by restaurant staff are allowed with appropriate barriers to limit contact. Self-service buffets, food stations and drink stations are prohibited.

All restaurants must place hand sanitizer at all entrances, hostess stations, in/near bathrooms and at cashier stations.

Restaurants must close indoor dining rooms by 10 p.m. but can still offer delivery and curbside pickup.

The Board also approved the opening of close-contact businesses like barbershops, hair, nail and tanning salons and massage therapy, following Reeves’ Executive Order 1480 approved earlier this week.

They too will have to follow strict guidelines on Reeves’ order and Oxford’s reopening plan.

Gyms, training facilities, dance and tumbling centers, martial arts and other indoor facilities can open at 8 a.m. on Monday as well; however, the aldermen voted to mandate that there should be one employee for every eight customers inside the facility with no more than 30 percent occupancy allowed.

Gyms located in apartment complexes and condominium developments must remain closed.

The Board clarified that while parks are open for walking, picnicking, throwing a Frisbee, fishing (at Lamar Park) and other outdoor recreations, pavilions, bathrooms and playgrounds will remain closed.

Pools at apartment complexes, condos and private club pools can open on Monday; however, no more than 20 people can be inside the pool area at one time. The board approved un-furlough four Oxford Police Officers to help with enforcement.

The city’s pool will not open this summer due to financial reasons.

The city’s dog park can reopen with no more than 10 people and social distancing of 6 feet must be observed.

Mayor Robyn Tannehill addressed churches during the meeting.

“We have not closed churches,” Tannehill said. “The governor’s order states that groups of more than 10 should not meet indoors and 20 outdoors. We hope our churches consider that. We encourage online services and continuing with the parking lot services.”

Previously approved measures and resolutions remain in place, including the requirement to wear masks inside retail businesses.

Prior to voting on the various re-openings, Oxford Emergency Management Director Jimmy Allgood reported that after backing out COVID-19 cases in Lafayette County that were more than 14 days old, Oxford has about 16 active cases as of Saturday, including those reported from long-term facilities.

“This fight is not over. It’s not close to over. There are going to be risks associated with rolling back our requirements,” Tannehill said. “The key to our success relies on everyone continuing to do their part – wearing masks and abiding by our restrictions in place.”